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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. face — part of the head
  3. club — for golf
  4. squash — the sport
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. present — there
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. present — the time now
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. face — to confront
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. club — for dancing
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. object — an aim
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. squash — to crush
  21. club — a group
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. face — to point toward
  24. present — a gift

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com